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Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Up in the Air in Clover Pants and a Liz Blouse

Technology is an amazing thing, readers. This morning I was rushing out of the apartment to get my flight to Orlando (heading to the Southern Women's Show with BurdaStyle, y'all!) I've made a few separates lately and haven't even gotten around to blogging them (the horror). So after I dressed in my new Colette Patterns Clover pants and BurdaStyle Liz blouse this morning, I had Jeff take a picture with his phone. He then e-mailed it to me, I downloaded it on my laptop, and now I'm writing this from 30,000 feet in the air with in-flight wi-fi. The mind reels.

Anyway, I know it's not the best detail shot, but at least I'm blogging a sewing project, right? The Clover pattern was really quick and fun, and I made it in a thick rayon doubleknit. So comfy! I had some fitting issues in my posterior region, which is--ahem--not insignificant on my frame. I didn't make an official muslin, since I needed a stretch fabric to get the fit right. I took a risk and knew this version may not be wearable, but it totally is, after a few tweaks. I had the very-familiar-to-me problem of a gaping center back seam and the waistband dipping down at the back. The fix for the gaping was easy--I took out an inch at center back. But the dipping was an issue that should be solved in flat pattern by lengthening the back crotch. Instead, I added an inch to the center back top of the waistband, tapering to the side seams. It worked like a charm! I may still have some thigh/front crotch issues to work out, more to come on that exciting topic.

I made the blouse as a sample for season 2 of It's Sew Easy, since I show a simple retro pattern tweak on it in my episode. This version is made in the best fabric of all time, Liberty of London's Carmine print. I could only wear this print and be happy. I could decorate my entire apartment in it and not get sick of it.

So there you have it. An outfit.

Any of you live in Orlando? Anyone going to the Southern Women's Show?

I'm flying to Orlando later this evening! I'm going to visit friends though, and we are headed to the beach for the weekend.

I love the pants on you, they look great. The print of the blouse is great too. I've made the Liz blouse twice and I haven't been 100% satisfied with it either time. I think I have fitting issues in the back.... sway back issues perhaps. Also, the last time I made it in a heavier cotton shirting and the back armholes ended up rubbing the backs of my arms raw. Do you have that problem or is the Liberty cotton just like buttah?

You're not kidding about that Liberty print, it's pretty stellar. Something about printed roses just make the heart go pitter-pat. I've been restraining myself from making garments from more than one of Joel Dewberry's Rose Bouquet pattern. It's dumb, whenever I really love how a print sews up, I'm tempted to buy the other colorways too. Eyeroll.

Clover sews up lovely doesn't it? My fitting issue involves my lower tummy region and can only be solved with compression of the girding kind. I am longing for the pre-childbirth days when nothing flattered me more than a side-zip pant..sigh

The liberty rose print, I die. Too bad it's only available in pink on the liberty website. The red was nowhere to be found.

I've been itching for some Clovers but since I don't have the pattern I snapped up Simplicity 2315 (On a 99 cent sale) in hopes that it'll be a close enough match (without the strange tabs of course). I also got a black double knit to make them in. Here's hoping they look as good as yours!

*pouts* I won tickets to go there through BurdaStyle, but I didn't realize how soon it was. I had to pass them up. There was no way I could swing a trip from Austin to Orlando in a week's time. Oh well, maybe next time... The top is wonderful, and the pants look great on you!

we're TOTALLY retro suburban (our suburb was made "official" in 1952, our neighborhood in 1957, which is when our house was built). so we have a basement. and a washer and dryer. but our washer and dryer are cheap and sucky. in fact, our dryer isn't even functional right now (husband spent $28 on parts for it today, so it hopefully will be by tonight). so this post of yours actually made me drool and salivate and cry and want even more than your posts about fantastic frilly wonderful retro couture goodness.

Great to see an outfit again! And so sweet! I'm looking forth to hear more about the Clover Pants - it seems like the issues you had with the gaping back and dipping waistband is the same problems I would have. It would be great with a sway back tutorial! Then I might dare trying the Clover Pants.

Love the Clover trousers on you. Don't think they would suit my figure, so I am crossing my fingers that Colette will bring out a wide leg trouser pattern.I have those problems with gaping waist and dipping back. Great thing about sewing that we can make adjustments. (In my case I think it is probably due to a large derriere, and hips and thighs...)Not really connected to post but I have been getting snarly this week with people saying that everything looks better on skinny tall models. I guess I could, with a lot of abstinence, lose some weight but getting taller isn't really an option. Why does it look better, and why can't we all just be whatever shape we are?